Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-01-07
ROSEBURG REVIEW
FRIDAY. JANUARY, 7, 1887.
CORRESP0NDENCE.
WASHINGTON, D. G. Dec. 2Oth, 1886.

congress Is shamlng Its predecessor
by industry There has been a good
deal less talk and good deal more
work than usual so far. The passage
of such bills as that to give the Indians
lands in severalty, that to redeem trade
dollars, that to repeal the Tenure of
office act, Postal bills and appropria-
tions, reflects high credit on Congress as
a part of its second weeks work
Besides this legislation, various sub
jects have been briefly discussed, such
as Interstate commerce, the fisheries,
the Tariff and the Beck Railroad At
tornoy bill. The latter measure Of
the Kentucky senator strikes at the
railroad senators and members, and its
aim is to prevent them from acting as
attorneys for subsidizlng railroad cor
porations while receiving salaries from
the Government.
When Col. Morrison called up the
Tariff, hush instantly fell upon the
house and noise in the galleries ceased.
All eyes were turned uron him as he
arose to say "Mr Speaker, 1 move
that the house resolve itself into
committee of the whole for the pur-
pose of considering revenue bills"
The yeas and nays were then demanded
and during the roll call absolute 81
lence reigned in the hall, and many
members with pencil in hand were
figuring up the vote. Messrs. Nor
rison and Randall were apparently the
calmest men on the floor, each leaning
back in his chair within few feet of
each other, while now and then a re-
mark was exchanged between them.
When it was announced that the mo-
tion was lost, there was applause on
the Republican side Mr.. Morrison's
proposition was voted down by the
small majority OF five this time, while
last Juac 1t was defeated by seventeen.
The Senate'S repeal of the Tenure of
Office act restores to the President the
right Of removing Federal officers at
any time. The house will probably
pass the bill with but little discussion
and so it will likely become law be-
fore the fourth of March. The pres
ident will then be free from all re-
straint of legal character in removing
Republican officials.
The law was enacted when Congre ess
was overwhelmingly Republican in
both branches, to handicap the indie
pendent course of President johnson
in removing Republicans from office.
AS it was designed specially to fit DIr.
Johnson's case, few Republicans had
any further use for the law after Gen.
Grant became president and they made
several attempts to repeal it. On
those occasions the Democrats did not
urge, as was natural for them, that
what wss law for johnson must be law
for Grant, but eontended for the repeal
of the act on constitutional grounds in
company with Morton and Sherman,
Butler and Logan and other Republi-
cans.
Senator Edmunds made two violent
speeches against repeating the act
Ever since the famous controversy of
last winter between him and the Pres.
ident which began with such -four
ish of trumpets and ended SO inglori-
ously for Mr.. Edmunds, the latter be-
comes monomniac whenever the mat
ter of Executive rights as opposed to
the blames of the Senate is brought |
before him. He at once begins to rant
about giving the Executive the "king-
ly power" and the corruption that will
follow his right of removal.
1t would give inexpressible comfort
% politicians all oyer the country if
The letters that men write, like the
,ood they do, were entered with their
,ones." A fifteen year old letter Of
1en. Grants showing his disbelief in
he sincerity of Gen. Logan's republi-
anism, has just come to light. Who
wants to have his opinions published
fifteen years after they were utteredl
And if Gen. Grant did suspect the
artisan loyalty of Gen. Logan then,
e would not now for the Illinois sen
tor has changed his base since then
S completely as has senator Sherman
is views an the Tenure of Office act.
he why Ohio senator is recorded in
congress and on the stump as one of
he earliest advocates of its uncondi-
ional repeal. This was on the ground
hat the only possible motto Of polit-
;al parties in republic is "to the
ictors belong" everything. Imagine
he surprise Of his associates last Fri l
ay when senator Sherman voted in S
he negativel /
The program of the Presidents New
ear reception at the White House has
cen arranged like of former years. 9
he Controller of the Treasury looks j
nfavorably upon one of its details u
owever. Just how the nine august
ersonages who compose the U. s. su- "
RENE Court can on that occasion so h
XDanG themselves as tn raouira a1ovan le